The United States Senate held a crucial vote on Sunday evening with the goal of ending the 40-day long government shutdown, which had set a historical record in the United States.
The Republicans announced that they had secured the support of at least 60 senators, agreeing to initiate the “cloture” process for the temporary spending bill. Overcoming this procedural hurdle would allow the bill to pass with a simple majority, nearly guaranteeing an end to the government shutdown.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota stated before the vote, “After a long 40 days, I am optimistic that we can finally bring this shutdown to an end.”
Currently, with Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn absent, the preliminary voting result stands at 59 in favor and 40 against, causing a temporary delay in the final confirmation process.
The agreement was reached after several days of behind-the-scenes negotiations among bipartisan lawmakers, including the passage of a “clean” funding bill by the House of Representatives to fund the government until January 30 next year, along with a “Minibus” bill providing full-year funding for three government departments.
Additionally, Senate Republican Leader John Thune pledged to hold a separate vote in the coming weeks on the extension of subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The government shutdown had lasted for 40 days, causing disruptions in government services and putting pressure on both parties to find a solution. The agreement to restore government operations was reached through negotiations involving several moderate Democratic senators, an independent senator, and Republicans.
Independent Senator Angus King of Maine, Democratic Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire led the negotiations on the Democratic side. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman, Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, led the negotiations on the Republican side.
A key aspect of the agreement was the “Minibus” funding for three specific government departments, covering the legislative branch, military construction and veterans affairs, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
As the USDA oversees welfare programs such as SNAP (food stamps) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), providing full-year funding ensures that SNAP will not face interruptions until November 2026.
The plan also guarantees that even in the event of another shutdown in 2026, congressional operations will not be disrupted.
The agreement also includes a vote on a “clean” funding bill passed by the House of Representatives, which will provide government funding until January 30 next year based on the 2025 appropriation levels.
The political compromise to end the shutdown mainly focused on the issue of subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Under the earlier-passed “Big and Beautiful Bill” this year, ACA subsidies were set to expire at the end of 2025. Democrats initially sought to extend the ACA subsidies for another year, which they viewed as a bottom line to support ending the shutdown.
Senate Republican Leader Thune promised to hold a separate vote on extending ACA subsidies in the second week of December. Angus King expressed optimism that the subsidies could be renewed.
Several Democratic senators announced their opposition to the agreement, including Senators Richard Blumenthal, Ruben Gallego, Tammy Baldwin, Chris Van Hollen, among others.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Independent Senator Bernie Sanders also expressed opposition.
Baldwin believed that relying solely on Thune’s “promise” to address the healthcare crisis lacked concrete guarantees, which she considered insufficient for Wisconsin families. Sanders warned that if the subsidies were not extended, premiums for over 20 million Americans could “double”.
If the Senate ultimately passes this agreement, the bill must be sent to the House of Representatives, which has not voted since September 19. If approved, the bill will need to be signed by President Trump to take effect.
While the Senate’s vote may bring an end to the shutdown, the extension of ACA subsidies remains a focal point for future congressional deliberations before the end of the year.